The Philippine Online Chronicles

Two European birdwatchers are still missing after being abducted by five gunmen Wednesday in Tawi-Tawi, officials say.

Gunmen seized 52-year-old Dutch Elwold Horn and 47-year-old Swiss Lorenzo Vinciguerra, on a small island in Tawi-Tawi and forced them onto pumpboats, said regional police chief Felicisimo Khu.

The gunmen also kidnapped guide Ivan Sarenas but he managed to jump off the boat and swim to safety. Another guide had escaped earlier and alerted the authorities, wrote Khu in a report.

"There is a massive search and rescue operation right now to find the kidnappers and their captives," said regional military spokesman Lt. Col. Randolph Cabangbang. Hundreds of Marines joined the search yesterday, but to no avail.

"We cannot rule out the possibility that the Abu Sayyaf is involved," Cabangbang further said. "However, I must stress there are other armed groups, including pirates, who also operate in these waters."

This event raises the number of foreigners kidnapped in Mindanao since last year to 10. Five of them—an Australian, two Malaysians, an Indian and a Japanese man—are still in captivity.

An American teenager was recently released after five months with the Abu Sayyaf.